Reading FC playing for the fans - says McDermott

Brian McDermott said his Reading team played for the fans as they were edged out 4-3 by Manchester United.

Hal Robson-Kanu fired Royals into an eighth-minute lead with a sweet volley before Anderson beat Adam Federici at his near post with a fierce shot five minutes later.

Wayne Rooney slotted home a penalty in the 15th-minute before Reading equalised when United fan Adam Le Fondre headed in from a Nicky Shorey corner three minutes later.

The goals kept coming as Sean Morrison nodded home another in the 22nd minute – only for Rooney to sidefoot home on the half hour mark and Robin van Persie scored the eventual winner in a crazy opening 34 minutes.

The home crowd have had little to cheer about this season, with just one victory in Berkshire, but they were treated to another memorable Madejski Stadium night.

And McDermott said: "I was proud of the efforts and that first half performance from our players.

“It wasn't just effort alone, there was quality as well in the way we passed the ball.

"It was an incredible game really, and we've had a few of those this season. We played for our supporters, they want to see us get the results and they will come.

“You see the confidence levels from our players, and look at the way we passed the ball and got crosses into the box. We caused them a lot of problems today and I thought with the late set play Morrison was going to score.

"I think we're becoming everybody's second team at this rate! But our fans are the most important, they can see the players never give up and we led Manchester United twice.

“We know what our agenda is in this league and we just keep going, now we move on to Southampton (next Saturday).

“There's no problem with competition and it's a different challenge for us.

"The crowd were really behind us in that first half, they saw some real good quality play.

“I'm disappointed that we haven't come away with anything, but that's the nature of this league.

“Last season we were winning game after game, this season we've just got to hang in there. We have to be different here and get the results whatever way we can.”